Hopple



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

THOMAS HEREIN, OF STOCKVILLE, NEBRASKA.

H OPPLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 397,722, dated February12, 1889.

Application filed Tune 26, 1888- $eria1hlo. 278,228. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS HEREIN, a citi' zen of the United States,residing at Stockville, in' the county of Frontier and State bfNebraska, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pig-Hopples, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a pig-hopple, having for its object to provide adevice to be attached to the leg of a pig, which will prevent the latterfrom stopping or j nmping over a low ii'iclosing-fence.

It is sometimes desirable to inclose pigs with. a low wire fence,thereby saving the expense of a higher structure, and to prevent thestock from stepping or j nmping over this fence I provide a small deviceto he attached to the front legs, whereby when they liftthe leg small,pointed wires either prick the breast or catch in the wire of the fence.

The invention consists in a certain novel Referring to the drawings, Adesignates an adjustable band or strap, which is adapted to be adjustedto the leg of the animal, and the wire points B Bare affixed at theirlower ends to the said band or strap by meansof the inner strap, 0,stitched to the inner side of the same, the lower ends of the pointsbeing provided with small hooks c c, held in place by the said straps.These wire points are curved out-ward toward tln irupper ends, and areprovided near their lower ends or bases with the ontward-extending loopsor offsets l) h, for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

The upper ends of the wire points are preferably separated three or fourinches, and are adapted to extend without about an inch of the breast of.the pig, so that, although the latter may walk freely on a level.surface, it cannot raise its leg to step over an obstacle without.causing the points to come in contact with the flesh. Thus if the pigattempts to step over a low wire fence he is prevented from raisin hisleg by the spreading poinis- Further, if the pig approaches very closeto the wire before raising his leg, the forwardly-projecting end of oneof the points will engage the wire and prevent the leg from bein raised,the loops or offsets in the lower ends of the points being designed toreceive the wire when thus engaged. The points are disengaged from the\vi re when the pig attempts to back away from the latter.

This device is very simple, can be manufactured very cheaply, and isdesigned to be applied to both fore legs of the animal. It will beunderstood that the ordinary motions of the animal are not interferedwith by the improved hopple, the only time when it acts being when thepig raises his leg to step over an obstacle.

Having describeal my invention, I claim- The herein-describedpig-hopple, composed of the hand A, and the similar band, (7, securedtogether to form a strap, which provided at one end with a buckle and atthe other end with eyelets therefor, and the p'oin is or pricks B, withthe hooks c at their lower ends, secured between the bands A and (1,having their upper ends curved outwardly from the leg when in placethereon and provided just above the strap with the ontward-extendingloops 1), substantially as and for the purpose specified. i In testimonythat I claim the foregoing as i my own I have hereto affixed mysignature in presence of two witn csses.

; 'llIOLlIAS HEREIN. l \Vitnesses:

WILLIAM W. 000mm, 13. G. MoULToN.

